Dean's Fellowship

The School of Graduate Studies at FIT is pleased to announce the Dean's Fellowship call for applications for the 2025-2026 academic year. The fellowship is open to newly admitted graduate students in good standing in the School of Graduate Studies.

Designed to provide graduate students with research experience and funding support, the Dean’s Fellowship is a one-year non-renewable award of $5,000. The award will be applied over two semesters during the 2025-2026 academic year.

In order to be considered for the Dean's Fellowship, students must be eligible for on-campus employment. All Fellows will be expected to devote an average of five hours per week to specified assignments in the area of their fellowship for the 15 weeks of the semester. Fellows will report to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, who will provide all assignments and monitor performance.  At the end of the semester, in addition to their completed research assignments, fellows will be expected to submit a reflective essay that speaks to the work completed and evaluates the experience.

The School of Graduate Studies welcomes individuals across all disciplines and backgrounds to apply for the fellowship, which will be awarded on the basis of merit and the promise of outstanding academic and professional achievement. Fellows are expected to be comfortable with working independently and possess familiarity with online platforms and emerging technologies.

Eligibility

  • Student's application for admission must be submitted by the January 15 priority deadline, with all application materials submitted no later than January 15. 
  • FIT Employees receiving tuition remission, deferred students, students in maintenance of matriculation status, and those placed on a waitlist are not eligible for fellowship consideration.
  • Students must be available for the full duration (fall and spring) of the fellowship. 

How to Apply

Please research the School of Graduate Studies, its seven graduate programs, the FIT DTech lab, the Social Justice Center at FIT, the college’s strategic plan, and all resources at FIT before applying to the fellowship. Candidates for the Dean's Fellowship must complete the below essay prompts in the admissions application. Please limit your response to 250-350 words per question. 

  • How will you work to build engagement and community amongst your peers in the School of Graduate Studies and its seven creative disciplines/degrees? 
  • What are the ways in which you can make a social impact in the School of Graduate Studies, the DTech Lab, your area of study, and the college as a whole?

Late submissions will not be accepted. Applicants who complete the essay prompt after January 15th will not be considered. Awardees will be notified at the time an admissions decision is made.

Terms and Conditions

  • Awards will be made pending budget availability. The School of Graduate Studies reserves the right to terminate the Fellowship at the conclusion of the first semester if funds are no longer available.
  • Applicants must meet the School of Graduate Studies policy requirements for time-to-degree completion.
  • Fellows are expected to abide by the professional codes of ethics and responsibilities of the School of Graduate Studies. These codes include, but are not limited to, the Code of Student Conduct, the Financial Aid Codes of Conduct, and Employee Code of Ethical Conduct. The School of Graduate Studies reserves the right to terminate a Fellowship if codes of conduct are not maintained.
  • Questions may be directed to [email protected].